Ramsey County History – Spring 1991: “Small and Cohesive: St. Paul’s Resourceful African-American Community”

Small and Cohesive: St. Paul’s Resourceful African-American Community

Author: Arthur C. McWatt

This article covers notable people, organizations, businesses, trends, and accomplishments in St. Paul’s African-American community, 1910–1943. It discusses major institutions, such as Pilgrim Baptist and St. James AME churches, the Appeal newspaper, and the hiring of blacks by the police and fire departments. African-American leaders in the Minnesota legislature, law, medicine, teaching, business, and other fields are covered. Although employment prospects were limited initially, they gradually improved, especially in meat packing and the railroads. World War II and the GI Bill helped blacks get jobs and more educational opportunities. “It was truly a take-off period in St. Paul’s economic history which few would soon forget.”

PDF of McWatt article